Extras, Part I
by letters
Summary: Extra one shot that takes place some years later after the already completed story, "So It Goes".  I just couldn't leave it alone.      Heero has a relatively lighthearted flash back while he and Duo wait in the car.


_Well, I ended the story, So It Goes, but for some reason, it keeps popping up in my head, so I'm going to keep writing. windraith, my first reviewer, once suggested that I write from another character's POV. Although I felt like I couldn't do that in the main story, I'm taking the opportunity to try out some different things with these little extras. ^^ I realized later on that a lot of authors reply to their reviews at the start of each new chapter, and I wish I'd done that instead of trying to reply individually by message, so I'll definitely do that from now on. I have a feeling a lot of this is going to be just fluff, though, because I'm not feeling uber serious, lately. Hope you like! ~*_

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><p>I can't remember what my life was like before I met Duo. I know I've given him at least half the gray hairs on his head. He's probably given me a few as well over the years, but I secretly started dying my hair back in 02', and I don't think he's caught on yet. To him, I really am something held above the rest of humanity, so wondrous that I don't even age. But that is how Duo is. Once he gets an idea in his head, it's really hard to shake. Bull headed, some might say, but I really admire that about him. I'm the type that gets dissuaded rather easily. I usually can't pay attention long enough to ever see things through. I guess Duo and music are the current exceptions to that rule.<p>

A small snore pulls me from my musings. I glance over to the driver's seat. Duo is just passed the fuck out, poor guy. The book he was reading is still in his hand on his lap. 'All the King's Men'...what a nerd. I know he's already read it at least three times. He's completely slumped over, his face pressed against the glass of the driver side window of the 1971 Corvette Stingray we're currently sitting in. Duo never really expresses much of an interest in material things, but I saw the way his eyes lit up when I came flying up the drive in it on his last birthday, like a black streak of lighting. Do I know what Americans like, or what? Well, okay, I had to do some extensive asking around and research, but it paid off. It made me feel good. I feel guilty so much of the time. I know I've been particularly hard on him this past week. I'm the reason he can't keep his eyes open. It had started when Aisha died right after we moved. The vet had diagnosed her with feline leukemia, a very advanced stage, and there was nothing we could do. It got to the point where she was in so much pain, that Duo convinced me to euthanize her. I was utterly inconsolable on the ride home. I don't remember much from that time, but I could see the worried look in Duo's eyes, and I knew that he thought I was acting strange again. He just didn't understand, and the situation only escalated when he asked if I'd been skipping my meds again. Of course I had! I didn't need him and the people around me drugging me up so that they could secretly kill my cat and pass it off as some unfortunate disease. I knew what was really up, and I remember colorfully telling him so. I then remember laughing, a lot. It's a little messed up, but when I start laughing too much, I know it's going to be a really bad week. I laughed the entire time Duo practically poked pills down my throat, and spent the day returning the hundreds of items I'd started purchasing off of Amazon. I laughed until my sides were splitting and I was crying from the pain. I thought it was fucking hilarious. He deserved it for killing my cat, after all. He never did like Aisha. I should have seen it coming. I spent the next few nights trying to poke holes in the wall, as I was quite certain there was a plethora of tiny kittens trapped in there. I could hear them scratching and wailing, and I was pretty sure they needed air holes to breathe. Inevitably, Duo would wake up and put an end to my humanitarian efforts and would physically make me lie down in bed after forcing some sort of sleep aid on me. He even went so far as to clamp his hand over my mouth and hold my nose so I had to swallow whatever vile substance it was. I hated the fact that he was stronger than me. No one should be stronger than the King of Siam, which I had just proclaimed myself. Exasperated, Duo reminded me with a sigh that Siam wasn't even a country anymore. Whatever. Kitten killer.

After a few seemingly endless days and sleepless nights, I suddenly awoke with a deep and overwhelming sense of moroseness. I curled up in the fetal position and just sobbed. Duo woke up every time I so much as moved a muscle, and he patted me on the shoulder, and rubbed my back while I cried. That nagging, chronic pain I have throughout my entire body was always worse at that time.

"Heero, you're okay," he tried to comfort me. Duo wasn't exactly what I would refer to as 'touchy-feely', and I could only imagine how awkward he must of felt whenever I was like that. "I know you feel really awful right now, but by this time tomorrow, you won't even remember why you're sad. And you'll just make hundreds of pancakes like you always do, and everything will be fine again."

That just made me feel even more awful. I was quite convinced he was going to leave me, and why shouldn't he? Anyone would get tired of all this nonsense. Any normal person would.

"Who said I was normal?" Duo demanded, furrowing his eyebrows. I wasn't aware that I'd been talking aloud. "I'll kick their ass!" He ruffled my hair with his hand and gave me a playful smirk. "I am one crazy, mother fucker, and don't you forget it!"

I had to chuckle. I supposed he was right. For whatever reason, it seemed to make my immense faults just a little bit smaller, and I was grateful for that. Although, I'd have to argue that Duo wasn't nearly as crazy as I was. Ever since he'd started going to counseling a few years back, his nightmares had gradually subsided. I no longer saw that hunted look in his eyes every time we walked on the street, and loud noises didn't seem to panic him so much anymore. When he finally told me about his capture in the war, I was completely floored. And I'm pretty sure I got the edited version, too. I could always tell that there was something haunting him from his past, but I never dreamed in a million years it was something like that. If I'd been through that kind of hell, I'd be completely insane. I was so proud of him. I guess it just speaks to the human resilience that he is such a wonderful person after all the shit he's been through. I wanted to rise above it all with him, but inevitably, I end up reduced to this pathetic state again and again. Thankfully, it doesn't happen very often, and I can only hope that our time together when I'm not having manic episodes makes up for the grief I give him.

Duo had been slowly sliding forward, inch by inch, until his nose finally hits the side of the steering wheel. He snorts indignantly, quickly sitting up straight and rubbing his injured nose. I look out the window, as if I haven't seen anything, but it's impossible to stop the smile slowly creeping across my face.

"You totally saw that," he grumbles, scrunching up his nose like an adorable rabbit.

"I see nothing!" I declare, closing my eyes and tilting my head back.

Duo just yawns, loudly. "God damn," he mutters, rubbing his eyes with his finger tips. "I'm getting old. How much longer is the princess going to be?"

He was talking about my daughter. That still sounded really weird to me, even at my age. I really didn't know how such a thing could be possible; that a person would be alive because of something I did. It was very strange, and no matter how much I thought about it, I never could quite come to terms with it. I guess I didn't really treat her like a daughter, either. Duo often got onto me about how I was her dad and not her best friend. But I always thought that with my brother having a stick up his ass all the time, she probably could use a break from the 'serious adult' act. Still, it was good that Duo was around whenever she visited to remind me about things like bed times. Now that Lita's older, it's not so much of an issue. Currently, she's doing volunteer work at one of the hospitals to build credentials on her resume. Lita wants to be a doctor, like her uncle. I will never know how she turned out so smart. She must have got that from her mother's side, sans the bitchiness. Or maybe the medical gene just skipped me. Who knows? I hated reading, unless it was sheet music. We were here to pick her up for dinner. Well, let her follow us back to the house, anyway. Wasn't exactly like she had a place to sit. I guess if the address wasn't so new, it would have showed up on her GPS and she could have just driven herself.

I glance at my watch. "I don't know. Want me to go find her?"

"No," Duo shakes his head with another yawn. "Then I'll just have two missing people."

"Afraid I'll get lost in the big, bad hospital?" I ask with an amused smile, twirling a cigarette around in my fingers.

"Not lost, just distracted." I blink at his honesty and smile again, albeit a little less widely. I lean back in the seat, folding my arms and putting a shoe on the dashboard. I know it had to be pissing him off, but he doesn't say anything. I think he was wising up to my little games, and I slowly lower my foot back to the mat on the floor of the car.

"I am easily distracted," I concede, sliding lower on the cushion.

"And distracting," he adds. I roll my eyes before letting them land on his, fluttering my lashes in a dramatic fashion.

"Tell me more about my eyes..." I say in a wistful voice, mimicking a cartoon I'd seen a long time ago while I was in the States.

Duo chuckles. I know I can always count on him to get all of my dorky media references. "What do you want me to say?" he asks, reaching out and brushing my bangs out of my face. He flicks me on the nose before returning his hand to the wheel. "You know you're gorgeous."

Surprisingly, I feel a slight blush creep up into my cheeks. It's a little odd for me to feel shy, but then again, it's odd for Duo to just say stuff like that out of the blue. I decide it must be some type of emotional hangover from the previous week. When I turn my head forward again, Duo is looking at me out of the corners of his eyes, a slight smile tugging at his mouth. Fuck it all, he's just dicking with me.

"You're so gay," I inform him, flatly, returning my sneakers to the top of his dashboard.

"Only for you," he reminds me with a smirk.

"Would you stop, already? You're just being an ass, now."

"Come on, guy! I turned down Hoshino Lulu for you! That's got to prove how serious I am!"

"I'm sorry, who?" I feign a confused look, inwardly cursing him for bringing that mess up again. His jaw drops.

"Don't tell me you forgot about Lulu!"

Who could forget about Lulu? That invasive, self centered, snobby c- well, woman, made my life a living hell for the two weeks we were forced to work with her. And I thought Quatre could be a diva. I think it might have been in '94 when, somehow, WM had got it in their silly heads that a collaborative concert with one of the biggest musical stars of the time would be a great step for our careers...and their pocket books. I immediately refused, especially when I heard her despicable name dropped. She sang fucking pop. We were not a fucking pop band. And it wasn't even good pop! Hadn't they ever heard of Janet Jackson? Since they were going to so quickly shoot down my brilliant idea to have a battle of the bands with Blankey, and, by extension, the self satisfaction of crushing them, they might have at least picked a person who could sing worth a damn! Was it the fact that Janet's breasts weren't the size of the small moons orbiting Jupiter, or what?

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><p>"No, that's pretty much it," Wufei told me rather unsympathetically. "And I really don't give a damn. You're going to do it for the band."<p>

I slapped the soda can off the table in the break room and rose from my seat, slamming my palms on the table. "Fuck, no!" I knew as soon as he said he wanted to speak to me alone, that we were going to get into it. But I wasn't backing down, not this time. I was already angry at the extent we were expected to whore ourselves out to the media in the sweet, sweet name of dollar signs instead of good music, but this was the final straw. Wufei eyed me, coolly, and leaned back, folding his arms.

"You owe me," was all he said. My shoulders slumped. He was really going to play that card? I was beginning to think my friend was a jackal.

"Shit," I muttered, sinking back into my chair, another little piece of my dignity dying. But I couldn't say no to the man who currently helped hide my secrets so well from the man I was so desperately in love with. But still...shit!

"Oh, aren't you all just the most precious thing!"

She spoke the language with a slight accent of Eastern European descent. No way she was full Japanese. I felt Wufei's hard elbow jab me in the ribs and let out a surprised cough. That's what I got for trying to kill the garish woman in front of me with the daggers I was shooting from my eyes. Her skin was some strange, muddy brown color from the excessive tanning, making the practically white lipstick she wore almost blinding. And her hair...my god, her hair. It was like alien bees were building a fun house hive on her head. I really don't have the words to describe it, except that I feel it might have been something straight out of the nightmares of H.P. Lovecraft. Oh, and her boobs really were the size of small moons. Guess that's worth mentioning.

"Trowa, I'm scared!" I heard Quatre whisper through the clenched teeth of his fake smile. His eyes were unnaturally wide. Trowa cleared his throat a little nervously, not the most reassuring response, and while I was busy quickly losing my faith in all of humanity for venerating such a creature, Wufei was busy introducing us all by name.

'Noooo, Woof-woof!' I mentally screamed. 'Don't give her our names! Don't give her power over us!'

But my telepathy wasn't working so well that day, and starting with himself, he went down the line until his hand gestured in the direction of Duo, who was standing a little off to the side, away from our group like he always did. He really wasn't paying much attention at all. His hands were shoved deep in his jean pockets, and he was slowly rocking back and forth on his heels, clicking his tongue and watching some of the staff in the auditorium set up smoke machines. It was pretty obvious his mind had drifted off to la-la land, but not in the terrifying way he sometimes seemed to. I'd yet to realize the extent of mental escapism he was capable of and the consequences, (that was quickly approaching in the near future). To me, he was simply adorable ever since I'd first laid eyes on him, all stupid drunk in that old strip joint Trowa's cousin let us practise in, occasionally. At the sound of his name, he startled a little, and put his arms straight by his side, suddenly standing very tall. It was amazing how someone who looked completely oblivious could go to fucking intense in a nano-second. He was so god damn sexy when he was being a space cadet and ignoring super popular women with abnormally large bosoms. I was almost giddy as I turned to drink in the sight of her indignant rage at being so obviously slighted.

Oh, no...

I stared in horror at the unadulterated lust shining like laser beams from her hungry, alien eyes.

Oh, hell no...

She sauntered forward, placing a long, pink nailed finger under Duo's chin, lifting it into the air like she was inspecting a horse. I half expected her to open his mouth and check his teeth. I gestured wildly back and forth between them and Wufei, unable to utter a sound. I'm pretty sure he got the message, though. What the fuck? Wufei just raised his eyebrows high and shrugged, a stupid grin on his face. Some help he was.

"I can't tell you how much I've been dying to meet you, Duo" she said, her voice suddenly very low and velvety.

"Um," Duo swallowed and glanced about, obviously more than a little surprised at the sudden contact. "Nice to meet you too, Lulu." With a light movement of his head, he freed his chin from her hold and smiled. God, why was he smiling at her!

Wait...that's right...he was married before, so he obviously liked women. But how did that explain us, now? Well, I'd slept with women before, too, but...fuck. What if Duo was 'straight-straight' and I was some kind of weird exception? Was that even possible? He generally avoided flaunting our relationship in public. Was it just a fluke? If so, it was a pretty awesome fluke! I mean, damn! You know what they say about the quiet ones! Just the other night-wait... What was I thinking about...?

Ah! The slut currently hanging all over my boyfriend, and his smiling about it. I practically lunged towards them, but Wufei and Trowa quickly caught my arms and began literally dragging me off the stage.

"Yuy, I swear to GOD!" Wufei hissed in my ear, reminding me of our earlier conversation. I slumped in their arms, defeated, and let them drag me away. Duo looked up at me with a questioning, wide eyed expression at the commotion, and I offered him a weak smile and small wave.

"Where are you going?" he asked, starting to walk after us, apparently unaware that he was dragging a starlet still attached to his arm.

"We've got some things to run by Nakamura. You go ahead and show Miss Hoshino around the studio," Wufei said, all smiles. "We'll meet you for drinks, later."

"Sounds absolutely fabulous!" Lulu asserted, tugging Duo the opposite way. Duo looked at me again, searchingly. I grinned.

"Don't have too much fun!" I called, jovially, as I swatted Wufei and Trowa off of me and turned to walk with them. Quatre bounded up beside us, his long, black hair bouncing around his bare shoulders.

"Wow, are you sure you're ok with that?" he asked me, tossing his head in the direction Lulu and Duo went. "I mean, she looked kind of like she wanted to eat him alive!" I just ground my teeth and said nothing. Quatre always took that as a cue to keep talking. "But really, she seems kind of cool! She's so confident, even with how she dresses! I think it's awesome!"

"Please don't start taking fashion ideas from her," Trowa sighed.

"No way! My chest isn't big enough to pull that off!"

"You don't even have a chest," Wufei rolled his eyes.

"You should get implants!" I suggested, suddenly very amused by the idea. I could feel rather than see Trowa's glare on me.

"You think so?" Quatre sounded a little unsure, as he looked down the front of his tube top.

"No!" Wufei and Trowa both said in unison. I just tsked at them.

"You guys are no fun at all," I complained. "He should get ones even bigger than Lulu's. That way, we'd probably be the most popular band on the planet!" A bitter note began to seep into my voice.

"Stop filling his head with ideas," Trowa warned. "You're just mad because your boyfriend is probably face deep in her-"

"Please, shut up," I implored, letting my hands drag the skin around my eyes downward. Usually, I loved teasing and being teased in turn, but this woman seriously bugged me.

"You're not honestly worried...are you?" Trowa asked after a couple of minutes of silence, a smile slowly inching across his face. I didn't like it when Trowa smiled. It was creepy. Wufei was staring at me, curiously. I shrugged, and rolled out a kink in my neck.

"Of course not," I said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. Guess it didn't work.

"That's really odd for you," Trowa commented. My, but he was being rather talkative today. "I don't recall fidelity every being a high priority with you in past relationships."

"What are you talking about?" Quatre snickered. "Seeing as none of those lasted more than like, two days, how could it be?"

"Now that you mention it," Trowa drawled a bit as he turned it over in his mind. "It does seem like things are a bit different with Duo than it was with the others... Like you're actually serious about this guy."

"Any time you both are ready to stop dissecting my love life, I'd be fine with it," I said, flatly.

"Are you really serious about him?" Wufei asked. There was nothing joking in his tone. I blinked at him, not quite sure what to say. It was true that before Duo came along, I'd had many what I like to call, 'random encounters', that usually led to nothing beyond a couple of fun nights and an insincere promise to keep in touch. There was one particular woman who seemed to have trouble getting the message, but that cleared right up when she saw me making out over the counter of the bar with some random man the next week. Honestly, I just did it because I saw her entering the store through the corner of my eye. I didn't even know that guy's name, but he did flirt with me every time he came in, so I knew he wouldn't mind. Wufei shook his head at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he muttered.

Reaching the lot and all having somehow known that the need to talk to Nakamura was a lie, we started towards our respective cars. Trowa and Quatre split off from us after Wufei made sure they'd be back later that evening to meet for drinks with Lulu. I'd ridden to the studio with Duo, but Wufei could give me a lift, so I followed him to his car. He said nothing as I hopped into the passenger seat beside him.

"So, what?" I asked again, not letting it go.

"I don't like him." Wufei said without any hesitation. I frowned.

"So I gather. Well, guess that's why you're not sleeping with him." I knew Wufei wasn't gay, so it was supposed to be funny. He didn't laugh as he started the car.

"You know what I mean," he said. "It's not that I think he's a bad person, there's just something not right about him. And I don't like it."

"Really, Wufei?" I snorted, folding my arms. "You must absolutely hate me!"

"I know you. I can handle you. But I have no idea what's wrong with Duo or what he's capable of."

"You make him sound so deranged," I frowned at my long time friend. If I were any less close with the Chinese man, I'd be pretty pissed off at the way he was talking about my current bed mate. "He hasn't even done anything to you. What's the problem?"

"It's not me I'm worried about," Wufei sighed, as he turned toward my apartment. "But stop being naive. No one's that laid back. It's like he has no interest in taking control of his life whatsoever."

"I'd think you'd love someone who was good at obeying orders," I smirked.

"Not when they could have a psychotic break at any moment."

"Whoah!" I put my hands in the air. "That's a little extreme."

"He said he was ex military. He's killed people, for fuck's sake, Heero. What else has happened to him?"

"He doesn't talk about it, much," I said with a shrug.

"Exactly. You don't really know him, and I just want you to be careful."

"I'm not some teenage girl," I snorted, not caring to hear any of what he was saying at the time. "I can take care of myself."

"I don't think any of us could do much to stop that guy if he wanted to seriously do something," Wufei said, a small hint of awe in his voice.

"He is in great shape, isn't he?" Wufei narrowed his eyes at the dreamy quality in my voice.

"Now I see why you hate Lulu so much. You're just like her."

"Do NOT compare me with that thing!" I spat. Wufei whistled.

"Damn, Heero, you're usually the sweet one. You feeling alright?"

I knew what he meant, and quickly shook off my anger so as not to alarm him. "Sorry," I looked the other way. "Why do they have to spend the entire day together, alone?"

"Because it's pretty damn obvious that's what Lulu wanted," Wufei said, pulling up to my building. "Besides, it'll be good for you two. Consider it a test. If he doesn't sleep with Lulu falling all over him, than he must really like you. Don't you trust him to make the right decision?"

There was an undeniable smirk in his voice. He was probably betting on the fact that they'd sleep together and we'd break up. My friend really was a jackal. "It's libido I don't trust..." I got out and slammed the car door shut. Wufei waved cheerfully at me and drove away. Asshole. I unlocked the door to my apartment only to be instantly assaulted by the deep-throated wailing of Aisha, as she wove in and out of my legs. "Hello, my darling!" I said with a smile, scooping her up to cradle her like a baby. She started making her absolute racket of a purr. It always lifted my spirits, no matter what mood I was in, and I buried my face into her furry tummy. "You don't like Duo either," I half heartedly scolded her, walking towards the piano. She put her paw against the side of my face, and continued to purr. "That's because you're my princess." I rubbed the top of her head and opened the fridge to get a beer. Not liking the cold air, she squirmed and I put her on the floor. She continued to follow me over to the piano bench where I sat down with a sigh. I tried to push the negative thoughts from my mind; I tried not to think about what Duo and that woman were doing at that very moment. It was no use. Since when, exactly, did I get so hung up on a guy? It was pretty pathetic. I'd better fix that.

Scrunching my eyes shut, tightly, I willed myself to forget about it all. I downed the beer, and threw the can across the room, lighting a cigarette. It really wasn't any fucking use. Aisha started chattering at me, sensing my nervousness. I looked at her, helplessly. "Sorry," I apologized to my cat. "It's not that I don't trust him. I do. At least...I think I do..." I realized the hypocrisy of my words. If I trusted him, I wouldn't be so bent out of shape right now. If I trusted him, I wouldn't feel like strangling that stupid woman to death. If I trusted him, Wufei's words wouldn't have bit quite as much as they did. Or maybe, it was something else... Honestly, I had very little idea what exactly went on in Duo's mind. I tended to wear my emotions on my sleeve, but Duo was a much more private person. But was that bad?

I let out a steady stream of smoke and then shook my head. "Well, you know what?" I asked Aisha. She just tilted her head, her pupils dilating at my eye contact. "I don't give a shit." And I decided right then and there that I really didn't. I didn't care what Duo had been through or what he was "capable of". He was special to me, end of story. I didn't need to know anything else. I ground out my cigarette and set to work on the beginnings of a new song that had been stuck in my head from a few days earlier, when Duo had inadvertently done the cutest thing ever. He'd put Cleo II in a cup to change out his water, and Aisha had immediately run up and knocked it over, sending the fish flopping to the floor. What followed was an all out battle against my hungry feline to save his fishy friend, and it was hilarious to watch. I felt there was a song somewhere in there about floundering through life, despite the world. I wondered, sometimes, if Duo knew that most of my songs lately were about him. I secretly wished someday he'd write a song for me, but I didn't get my hopes up too high. It wasn't that he didn't have the talent, (I mean, with music, I make everyone look like suck, and I say that in complete humility). I guess what I'm trying to say is that he was a lot better than he gave himself credit for, but Duo wasn't into the sloppy, mushy stuff like I was.

The evening seemed to fly by, and before I knew it, Wufei was calling from outside, ready to take me to the promised place. 'Oh joy...' I thought grimly, slipping a black evening jacket over my gray graphic tee with a picture of headphones and black jeans and slowly ascending the stairs. I might as well have been going to a funeral, and Wufei said so when I got into the car. But he left me alone after that, and we arrived at some glitzy bar. You know the kind. The ones where an orchestra played, the silver was real, and there were white cloths and fresh flowers on every table. I quirked an eyebrow.

"I'm not wearing a tie, you know? What the hell is up with this place?"

"This is where Duo said she wanted to go." Wufei, who wore a tie a good bit of the time anyway and happened to already be wearing a gray suit with a red tie, seemed to be completely at ease and didn't even skip a beat. "Don't worry. They probably have some ties up at the front desk."

"You know I can't stand these places!" I bellowed, getting out as well. "I've spent the better part of my life trying to get away from this kind of stuff!" I lit a cigarette, and took a quick puff, irritably. Wufei crossed his arms over the top of the car and regarded me somewhat pityingly.

"It's not about you, tonight," he finally said.

"Fine!" I snapped, crushing the cigarette under my boot. "Let's go have drinks and make merry with Eva Gabor's alien love child!" I stomped through the main doors before Wufei could say anything. "I need a god damn, mother fucking tie, asshole!" I growled at the poor person tending the front desk.

"He meant, 'please'!" Wufei quickly added, catching up to me and putting his hands on my shoulders. I immediately shrugged them off.

"Er, yes sir! Of course!" I practically had the obviously young, right out of high school, host shaking as he quickly reached down and fetched everything they had, laying them out on the counter top. "Which one would you like?" He tried to smile, but my glare quickly drained all of the color from his face. Viewing my options, they were pretty typical, until I spotted an orange tie with the inverted purple image of a keyboard barely peeking out from underneath the stack.

"I want that one!"

"God dammit, Heero!"

"Of course, sir! Here you are!" He quickly relinquished the tie, and I snatched it from his grasp and looped it around my neck.

"You, um...have to tie it, sir," the boy was looking at nothing off in the distance, not able to make eye contact with me.

"What? The rules say I just need a tie. Didn't say how I had to wear it!"

"Heero! Stop being a prick!" Wufei hissed, spinning me around and quickly knotting my tie. Double Windsor. Very nice, Woof-woof, but it still looked ridiculous. "I'm not going to tell you again." His voice was fairly ominous, and I could tell that he meant it. My shoulders fell, visibly, and I saw something in his deep brown eyes soften. Guess I really was that pathetic looking. "Heero, I'm sorry for what I said earlier," he confessed. "I shouldn't have goaded you, but you need to pull it together."

"It's cool. I'm good," I said, staring down at my boots. The young man at the counter was watching us closely.

"If you sirs would like a private booth, I have one available," he said, very tentatively. Wufei turned some strange color of red, and I just laughed. It was good, though, because my laughter seemed to convey to the boy that everything really was alright, and he needn't be so terrified of me.

"We certainly do not!" Wufei said, shoving me forward. "Our party is already here and waiting on us."

"Oh! Very good sir!" he quickly corrected. I just laughed harder as Wufei continued pushing me toward a circular table in the corner of the large room. I stopped when I saw him. I didn't notice anybody else. He was wearing a black suit, with a deep blue tie, which I guessed he'd picked up from his apartment at some point in the afternoon. It drew attention to just how broad his shoulders really were, and even the angle of his jaw looked sharper, like something an artist would have chiseled out of stone. I'd never really seen him all dressed up before, with his bangs slicked back back behind his ears leaving only a few shorter hairs touching his forehead. No longer hidden, and against the black, his eyes looked incredibly large and vividly blue, and he spoke with the faintest smile lifting the corners of his lips. He was absolutely stunning, and god, but I was a complete sucker for this man. His face brightened when he saw us. He rose from his chair, letting the brown hand looped around his arm fall to the table. Yes, she was there, too.

"Oh, hi!" I said with an almost dismissive wave, shaking myself out of my drooling session and regaining some of my righteous indignation. He cocked his head a little at my awkward greeting and slowly sat back down. Was that disappointment on his face? Oh god, I need alcohol...

"Wufei, Heero! So good to see you again!" the monstrosity bubbled at us over her glass of champagne. "I absolutely love your tie!" she pointed at my choice of neck wear.

"It's not mine," I said a little too quickly, sitting down rather abruptly next to Quatre. He was grinning, evilly, at me pressing his interlaced fingers against his lips. He had dawned a jacket as well, but it certainly wasn't something you would wear a tie with, as it didn't even cover his torso. They hadn't even realized he was a he, probably. I wondered if Lulu had, either. Thankfully, I'd noticed that she'd changed into an evening gown that covered half her chest, at least.

Ignoring my rudeness, she gestured to the bottle on the table. "Won't you have some champagne?" she asked. Wufei said yes before I could say no, and she waved a server over to pour our glasses. "Duo was just telling us the craziest story about the first time his Grandfather took him hunting," she patted his arm with one hand while holding her glass in the other.

"So crazy!" Quatre giggled. Who the hell gave him champagne? How long had they been here? Long enough for Trowa to look bored as fuck and switch to shots, apparently. Now that I looked again, even Duo's eyes seemed a bit unfocused. He really had no tolerance whatsoever.

"Indeed," Trowa affirmed, raising his eyebrows as if it were really anything but.

"It's riveting!" she gushed. "Apparently, when Duo was ten, his Grandfather decided to take him on his first hunting trip like some sort of right of passage into manhood, and-"

My eyes drifted over to the woman among the dancers at the front of the club. Wearing a long quite dress with dyed and curled blond hair, she was singing some old show tune. I guess she was channeling her inner Marilyn Monroe, as she leaned sexily, (well, Duo would say in a 'sultry' fashion), against the piano, flipping her pink feather boa over her bare shoulders every now and then. Pretty mundane, but I still kept my eyes trained on her, trying to tune out the droning in front of me as Lulu recounted, in painful detail, the story we had so far missed.

"It wasn't anything too special," Duo muttered, plucking at the table cloth. I'd apparently killed the mood. Well...good!

"Nonsense! Your life in the Carolinas is absolutely fascinating to me!" she cruned. "It's so...different."

I'm sure she probably didn't mean to sound as condescending as she did, but it still pissed me off. And another thing, Duo never talked to me about his past. Why the hell was he opening up to this woman? He smiled at her encouragement and downed his glass which she was more than happy to refill. Great, just what he needed... I let out an exasperated sigh that no one noticed.

"Well!" he began again, his voice livening. "We'd been up in the stand for two days, in the pouring rain, without a creature in sight."

"Oh, you poor thing! That must have been miserable!" she gasped. I really wished she'd let go of his damn arm.

"Oh, it was," Duo affirmed. I'd never seen him quite so animated. "But then, suddenly, there it was! This huge buck with at least ten points was right underneath our tree!" Quatre and Lulu were all wide eyed, waiting for him to continue. "So...I quietly shook Grandpa awake," he started whispering for dramatic effect, and I could barely hear him. "But he handed me the rifle. He said, 'This is your moment, son'. Well, I slowly lifted the gun against my shoulder," Duo's hands unconsciously demonstrated as he spoke, "and I lined up the sights directly over the thing's heart." He paused there, casting side glances around the table with a small smirk.

"What the fuck happened?" Quatre almost shrieked right next to Trowa's ear. Trowa startled and brought a finger up to his ringing ear with a displeased hiss. Lulu laughed at the outburst, but kept her eyes fixed on Duo.

"I sneezed," he said rather anticlimactically, taking another sip of his drink.

"You did not!" Lulu practically roared, giving his arm a shove as the rest of the guys laughed. I was tempted to smile myself, but managed to retain my stony expression. With all the alcohol floating around, her push had almost dislodged him from his chair. He chuckled too, holding up his hands defensively, catching her hand playfully as she tried to get at him again. I felt a whole new wave of anger flush over me, but I said nothing. I didn't even sigh.

"All that work for nothing, huh?" Wufei smiled, appreciatively. I could tell he'd had similar experiences in his life. "Guess it was a real eye opener for you."

"Well, if my Granddad had stopped smacking me over the back of the head for two seconds, it might have been."

"I'll bet he was just furious!" Lulu sighed as if the thought was gratifying, somehow. She began to play with his bangs, tucking a fly away behind his ear. I hoped he was just too drunk too notice.

"Yeah," he shrugged. "He was pretty pissed, but he got over it." His smile turned a little sad at that, and I immediately forgot that I was angry, and felt the need to reach across the table and hold his hand. I just wanted to touch him, somehow. Lulu sensed the shift as well and took his arm again.

"Enough talking, let's dance!" she laughed happily. Duo blinked at her before mirroring her smile.

"Alright, then." He rose from the table taking her hand and sliding out her chair. What killed me on the inside was just how natural it all looked, how natural he looked. How comfortable it seemed for him; the ease with which he twirled her across the dance floor only to effortlessly catch her back in his arms again. It caught me completely off guard. I couldn't even be properly jealous. It wasn't like I wanted Duo to waltz with me into the sunset, that seemed utterly retarded. But that only served to confuse me as to what I felt looking at the scene before me. I suddenly felt very lonely.

"Earth to Heero," Wufei said a little louder.

"Hn?" I turned to him, raising my eyebrows in a daze.

"I said, what do you want to eat? We need to get dinner under way, I don't want to be here all night."

"Not hungry."

"How about 'crusted duck medallions'. You like duck, right? Oh, and green beans! Yum, yum! How about that?" he had started cooing half way through the sentence, and I took the hint.

"Awesome, but only if you cut it up in little pieces for me."

"Can't we just leave, now?" Trowa sighed. None of us really felt comfortable in a place like this. "Lulu won't care. Look at her! She wouldn't even notice if we left!" He jerked his thumb in their general direction and waved a server over for another shot. Trowa was a real treat when he'd been drinking too much. Quatre looked over at him and sighed, wistfully.

"We should dance. It's so romantic..."

"Hmmm..." Trowa thought about it. "Romantic, eh? Sure, why not." I think Quatre's eyes almost bugged out of his head.

"R-really?" he stammered.

"Yeah, I see no reason why I should leave tonight totally empty handed," he spoke as his eyes began darting around the room before they spotted a particularly lovely, but just as bored as he was, red head who looked like she was part of a bridal shower. She glanced up to meet his gaze with a defiant flash of blue eyes, but few women were immune to Trowa's super sexy, one eyed stare. Honestly, I don't know how he did it without coming off like a total creep. I guess it was a special talent. Inevitably, the girl blushed and looked away coyly, touching her hair. "Bingo." He finished his shot and got up. "Gentlemen," he nodded politely.

"Get her, hound dog," I cheered, but there really wasn't any enthusiasm in my voice as I watched my partner slow dancing the night away with some complete whore. Wufei shook his head.

"Some day, Barton, you're going to settle down and you'll have to tell your future wife about all your carousing!" he called, as Trowa was already walking away. Quatre just let his head flop on the table.

"NEVER!" Trowa called over his shoulder. What a horn dog. I guess he kind of had to eat his words later, though. Wufei ordered our dinner, and Duo and Lulu eventually returned. She seemed a little out of breath, and flushed, but Duo looked completely fine.

"Oh, wow, that was something!" she breathed, putting a hand to her chest. "Where did you learn to dance like that?"

Duo just gave her a sly grin. "Can't tell you all my secrets! Gotta keep the ladies guessing."

She giggled, and I rolled my eyes and crossed my legs, not sure how much more of this I could take. For a second, I thought I should go find some random woman to dance with, but I hated ball room dancing and that seemed like a silly way to exact revenge. When I looked up, Duo was staring at me with that same questioning expression as Lulu and Wufei started talking about the upcoming show.

'What's wrong?' he mouthed, not taking his eyes off of me.

'Gee, what do you THINK?' I wanted to scream. But I just mouthed back a quick 'nothing', and tried to smile. I was beginning to figure out exactly what was bothering me.

"Lulu," Duo suddenly cut in to their debate about back up dancers, "I'm going to step outside for a moment."

"I suppose I can spare you for a minute or two," she said jokingly in a snooty voice. Playing along, he gave her a deep bow and walked past my chair. As he did, he gave one of the legs a bump with his shoe. I looked up and he tossed his head in the direction of the doors to the courtyard.

"Smoke break!" I declared, rising as well. Lulu didn't care where I went, obviously, so I didn't wait for a reply. I patted Wufei on the shoulder with a 'be right back', and quickly followed Duo out the door. Ah, slacks...such a tease. So busy was I watching the loose fabric slide back and forth across his legs and butt as he walked, I almost bumped into him when he stopped. He leaned against the wall of the corner we'd just come around and folded his arms. I took out a cigarette and lit it. Neither of us said anything at first.

Hating the sound of silence, I cleared my throat. "You look really good," I said, appreciating the tall, slim figure leaning against the wall before me. "You should wear a suit more often."

He shook his head with a chuckle. "Thanks. You look good, too...despite the tie. That thing's hideous." Still tipsy, he swayed a little from side to side as he talked.

"Isn't it, though?" I agreed, grinning. "So," my smile faded. "Why are we out here?"

"Because I need a break."

"Ah..." Everything was quiet, once more. I tapped the front of my shoe on the ground. "You know," I began cautiously, "You don't have to try so hard to entertain her. I mean, you really don't have to deal with her at all."

"I don't mind it so much," he said with a shrug. "It's actually kind of fun. She seems like a nice enough person and it's pretty easy to keep her happy." Sure! All you had to do was become somebody else and tell them what they want to hear. How often did he do that with me?

"Yeah, you're pretty good at that," I muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Is this whole thing bothering you?" he asked.

"Of course not!" I grinned. "I mean, it's pretty obvious she wants to jump your bones, but why should I care about that?"

He burst out laughing. "Yeah, she kinda does, doesn't she?" he said, trying to catch his breath. "I have no idea why!"

'I do...'

"I mean, you're kind of the heart throb! Not me!" It was obvious that he was flattered, but nothing much beyond that. He finally stopped and narrowed his eyes at me. "You are jealous...just a bit," he quickly added on the end.

"Just a bit," I echoed. Maybe he wasn't even being himself right now, at this very moment. I was starting to realize how my anger at Lulu was misplaced. I wasn't really worried about her. I was worried that I didn't really know the person standing in front of me. But that was something only time could help.

"I didn't think you got jealous of women," he mused. I blinked at him. Well, he was no mind reader, that's for sure. I had no idea how he even arrived at that conclusion. I guess I still hadn't got around to telling him my track record.

"I don't like to share my things," I said, simply.

"Am I your thing?"

"My number one, favorite thing, currently."

He turned my words over in his head for a minute. "I guess I can live with that," he smiled, shoving off the wall. "We should head back."

"Ok, thing," I agreed, stepping on my cigarette butt.

"And, for what's it's worth, you know..." he said awkwardly, as we began walking. "I would be jealous, too."

He'd turned his face away from me when he said that last part, but I could see his ears turning a bright shade of red. It was stupid how big the smile on my face was.

"Just how drunk are you?" I asked.

"What?" he looked back at me. "Why?"

"Was gonna see if I could talk you into a quick detour behind the maintenance shed, over there," I nodded toward the building. His mouth fell open in shock, but I could see a glimmer in his eyes.

"I don't think I trust that your intentions are honorable, Mr. Yuy," he finally came up with and continued walking. He could joke all he wanted, but I knew he'd considered it.

"And you would be one hundred percent correct, Mr. Maxwell," I copied his snobbish tone, shoving my hands into my jean pockets and delighting in the new blush coloring his face. "Can't blame a man for trying, especially since this evening's gonna totally blow."

"Sorry," he sounded a little guilty. "Maybe we can leave right after dinner..."

"Whatever, you like having a busty chick falling all over you!" I teased, giving his braid a tug. He started to protest, and I held up my hand. "It's fine, it's fine," I waved him off. "I'll find some way to entertain myself." The look he threw me was a little worried at the devious note in my voice.

Dinner was served right when we sat back down. I quirked an eyebrow at what I guessed was duck in front of me and pushed it around on my plate while everyone else ate their food. Trowa returned for sustenance and quickly took off, again, obviously having a better time with the red head's company than our sad plight. Poor Quatre looked like he was just trying to keep his eyes open. Apparently, part of the show was to include him in a dance number singing a duet of sorts. I guess the initial excitement, and alcohol, had worn off. Lulu and Wufei continued to hash out different details, with her demanding an opinion from Duo every now and again, and he happily agreed with whatever she suggested. Mine was not too important, as it was never requested. I drummed the table top with my finger tips after a server removed my practically untouched food. I was bored. The whole atmosphere of the place was starting to feel stiff. There was no music, currently, because that lady in the white dress was on break. I saw her leaning over the piano and speaking to the man sitting on the bench. She looked tired.

"I'll be back," I said, slipping away. Everyone probably just assumed I was going to have another smoke. That was fine, otherwise Wufei would have tried to stop me. I quickly approached the woman next to the piano.

"Hi, there!" I said cheerily. "Wanna take a few extra minutes?"

"I-I'm sorry, sir?" she stammered at me, wide eyed.

"Call me Heero," I said, flashing her what I hoped was still my sexy smile. I saw her squint, and then recognition lit up her eyes.

"Y-Your from that band!" God, for a singer, she sure did stutter a lot.

"Yes, 'that band'!" I happily agreed. "Now," I held out my hand and flexed my fingers. "Give me your microphone." She handed it over without a word. "...And your feather thingy..." She unwound the boa from her neck and held it out as well. Man, I was about to ask her for her dress just to see if she'd take it off, but I refrained. I removed my tie and threw the pink feathers around my neck. "Okay! Now, tell me what you were about to sing." She whispered in my ear. I momentarily blanked, scanning my scattered memory banks. Oh yeah! I knew this one! I rarely forget a song. Can't say I would have chosen it myself, but I couldn't expect the band to reorganize their scheduled list. I gazed out across the tables. Trowa was still sitting amidst the bridal shower and had already spotted me. He was pointing at me and silently laughing so hard that his face was red and he was holding his sides. I grinned at him as I clicked the mike on. No one else had noticed me, yet. That was about to change in a hurry. "Alright, how's everyone doing this evening?" I said it loud enough for everyone in the entire dining room's faces to turn and stare. Duo's mouth fell open, while Quatre and Lulu giggled at the feathers. Wufei looked like he was about to have an aneurysm, he was gripping the back of his chair so hard.

'Get over here!' he mouthed, angrily, pointing downward.

I gave him a small shake of the head. "Have a little song to sing for you, just to remind all you gentlemen out there about what's really important," I cleared my throat and pointed to the band. "Maestro, if you please!" As soon as the words left my mouth, the brass started the militaristic intro melody, with the other instruments joining soon after. To my delight, I found myself completely surrounded by the dance chorus. They quickly settled at my feet as I placed a hand over my heart.

"The French are glad to die for love...They delight in fighting duels...but I prefer a man who liiiiiiiives~"

Oh, how loud and proud I sang it. I could see Wufei bury his head in his hands.

"And giiiiiives expensive jewels~"

I ascended the steps with the dancers twirling about me in a flourish and gave the boa a sassy, little flip over my shoulder and threw my wrist out quite dramatically. So many cameras started flashing. Hooray for P.R.!

"A kiss on the hand may be, quite continental, but diamonds are a girl's best friend...A kiss may be grand, but it won't pay the rental on your humble flat, or help you at the auto mat~"

I leaned dramatically on the male dancer next to me, letting my head fall on his shoulder and lifting the end of the microphone up in the air.

"Men grow old as girls grow cold, and we all lose our charms in the end~"

To my surprise, the dancer actually grabbed me around the arm and back and dipped me. I let out a surprised squeak, but quickly recovered and snatched his cane.

"But square cut, or pear shape, these rocks don't lose their shape! Diamonds are a girl's best friend~"

I twirled the stick around in one hand.

"Tiffany's!"

I joined in the line dance around me for a moment.

"Cartier!"

As a man, I should probably be ashamed that I knew what those places even were. I spotted Duo still gaping at me like a fish and made a bee-line for our table. I'd never seen someone look like they wanted to run away so much. The dancers actually followed me out amongst the tables. Awesomeness!

"Talk to me, Harry Winston, tell me all about it!" I yelled, throwing my cane back to the dancer and descending upon Wufei.

"There may come a time when a lass needs a lawyer, but diamonds are a girl's best friend~"

I put my hand on Wufei's shoulder, quite suggestively.

"There may come a time when a hard boiled employer thinks you're awful nice~"

Enraged, Wufei made a grab for my wrist, to break it, I'm sure, but I quickly sidestepped him.

"But get that ice or else, no dice!" I waggled my finger at him, and the entire room laughed. I knew he was going to beat my ass later. "He's your guy when stocks are high, but beware when they start to descend!"

I tickled the feathers under Quatre's nose and he sneezed. Duo paled a bit when my eyes fell on him. I gave him a sharp flick in the face with the end of my boa. He turned a deep, crimson color.

"It's then that those louses go back to their spouses!" I whipped the pink thing over my shoulder again. "Diamonds are a girl's best friend~"

I fell backwards letting the dancers carry me up high back to the stage.

"Diamooooonds~" I waved goodbye to the crowd as I left, and most of them actually waved back, laughing. "Are aaaaaaa giiiiiiirls beeeeeest~"

The piano gave a final flourish as they set me down center stage. I threw my hands up in the air.

"Friend~!"

Everyone cheered, clapping and laughing at the performance. All these old fogies had a better sense of humor than I thought. At least, better than Wufei's, as he was currently grinding his teeth at me. I bowed again and again, finally handing the mike back to the woman in the white dress. She laughed and shook my hand before I went back to the table. It turned out to be kind of a fun night after all. Duo drove me home, which, if he wasn't already aware of how much his slacks had been driving me crazy, well,...it was a big mistake on his part. I practically dragged him up to my apartment by his tie. I know I said only time would help us get to know one another better, but there was no harm in hurrying things along a little. I still had to put up with Lulu's constant advances towards him and mounting dislike of me, especially after she caught me staring at his rear end a little too long when he bent over to plug in an amp. I just stuck my tongue out at her. She got me back later, stepping on my foot, hard, with her gargantuan, heeled hoof during the actual performance. Even that backfired, though, because Duo had to put my arm around his shoulders and help me limp off the stage.

* * *

><p>"What are you smiling about?" Duo asks, narrowing his eyes at me, accusingly. I grin at him, slyly, and he suddenly looks very nervous, as well he should. "Heero, no-!"<p>

"Oh, it's too late!" I cry, climbing on top of him as he tries to fend me off and disappear into the back of his seat. Grabbing both flaps of his black bomber jacket, I straddle him touching his nose with mine. I love the way I can still make him twist and squirm after all these years, and his face is turning a lovely shade of red. The only thing that's really changed is that he's able to look me in the eye when I'm embarrassing him. But honestly, nothing could thrill me more than when his eyes are on me. I slowly inch forward until I can feel his breath on my lips, and I can feel his pulse quicken against my hands as he begins to lean into them, his own hands gripping the pockets on the back of my jeans.

A harsh wrap on the glass makes Duo jump, and by proxy, me as well, sending my head into the ceiling of the car. Damn!

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" an angry voice yells. I lean over and roll down the window.

"Lita, my darling!" I crow, ignoring Duo hastily trying to dislodge me from his lap. "We've been waiting most patiently for you!"

She looks terribly grown up, with her hair pulled back in a long pony tail, and her smart glasses. She even made those awful, green scrubs look good. Ha ha! I make good looking kids! Ignoring me, she turns to Duo, shuffling the box in her hands. "Really? Really? I expected this from him, but you couldn't keep your hands out of his pants for like, half an hour?"

Duo shrugged, sheepishly. "Your father does what he wants," he grins, ducking his head a little. I turn to look back down at him with a grin. God, he's so adorable!

"Daaaaaad," she drags it out in a whine. "Would you stop ogling your boyfriend now, so he can drive? I'm starving, and this box is getting heavy!"

"What's in there?" I ask, craning my neck to see into the open top. She holds the box away from me.

"It's just school stuff. Sit down!"

Obediently, I get back into my seat and buckle up. It's a relatively short ride home, and it smells like fresh cut wood and new paint when we walk in the door. Lita immediately runs upstairs with the box and her bag, claiming a dire need to change into something more comfortable. That was a little strange, fashion conscious she usually was not. I sit down at the kitchen table with a sigh.

"How are you feeling?" Duo asks, as he opens the fridge and takes out a beer. He tosses it to me and leans on the island.

"Pretty ok," I smile. "Ready to get back to work, tomorrow."

"Yeah, I think Wufei did permanent hearing damage to me, yesterday," Duo said, grimly. Wufei had started his own record company, with Duo taking on the English division. I really had no interest in business, but I got to be a musical coach, of sorts, to all the bands that came through our doors. It was dynamic and fun, and I'd really come to enjoy it after we retired our old band. But I knew Duo's position wasn't nearly as flexible as mine, and he would face a mountain of backed up work when he returned. Oh, I could feel the guilt creeping up again. I don't know if Duo saw the look come over my face, or if he just sensed it, but he walks behind my chair and tilts my head back to kiss me softly. All of the depressing thoughts flee my mind. I lean my head back into him with a smile. Duo doesn't have to use his words all the time to let me know how he feels.

We both hear a throat clear and look up to the landing. Lita has changed and is smiling down at us. "Okay!" she breathes, holding onto the banister. "It's all set! Come on up!"

"What?" I'm completely confused.

"Nooo!" Duo moans, covering his face. "You were supposed to wait till AFTER dinner! He's not going to eat, now!"

"I don't think it can wait that long. Might run into some...messy issues," she finally decides on the right words.

"What the fuck- I mean, hell, is going on?" I demand, ignoring the fact that they're treating me like a damn two year old. I can't stand secrets! They drive me crazy! I'll bet it was something to do with that box!

"Come up and look, Dad!" She's trying to hide the excitement in her voice, but it's bubbling over. She doesn't have to ask me twice. I race up the stairs faster than Duo could have in his youth, but he's still not far behind me. Adding to my frenzy, Lita starts laughing and jumping up and down, clapping her hands as I stride past her towards our bedroom. What on earth could be so great that-

I freeze in the doorway, gripping the frame. There, in the center of our king sized comforter, is a tiny Siamese kitten with a large pink bow tied around her neck. I look behind me to see Duo with his hands on Lita's shoulders. They're both grinning madly at me and the look of absolute shock on my face.

"Go on," Duo encourages. "Pick her up!"

I can only manage some strangled squeak in reply and slowly approach the bed. The little thing stands up and begins to clumsily pad around the bed at my presence, mewing pathetically. She stumbles toward me, and I pick her up, cradling her close to my face. She puts a tiny paw on my chin, and begins to purr.

"She's perfect..." I whisper. I might as well have been holding a new born with the way I feel all of the toes on her paws and rub delicately on her ears.

"Duo told me you really needed one, and I happened to have a friend from school who's family just had a litter," Lita pipes up. I smile with tears in my eyes, unable to thank them with my words. I could never forget Aisha, but this wonderful little ball of fluff in my arm went a long way in easing the loss. Duo reaches down to pet the kitten, and it gives him an ominous hiss, swatting at his finger.

"Oh my god, this one hates me too!" he growls in frustration and stomps back down the stairs. Lita and I just laugh. "Are you two coming down, or what?" he yells.

"Yeah," I call, and we all join him at the dinner table. I put the kitten on the table top and, before Duo can protest, catch him in a large bear hug. He forgets about the kitten, returning my hug with a smile as I put my lips next to his ear. "I love you, too."

* * *

><p><em>Awe...so fluffy...:P Hope you liked it!<em>


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